Who is generally regarded as the first Muslim invader to enter India in a significant and historically recorded way?

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the earliest phase of Muslim military activity in the Indian subcontinent. While later invaders like Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori are well known, the first significant and historically recorded Muslim invasion of India is linked to an earlier campaign in Sind.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the first Muslim invader to enter India.
• Options include Muhammad Ghori, Muhammad bin Qasim, Mahmud of Ghazni and Qutb-ud-din Aibak.
• We assume knowledge that Sind was conquered before the Ghaznavid and Ghurid invasions.
• The question aims at identifying the earliest of these figures in chronological order.

Concept / Approach:
Muhammad bin Qasim was an Arab general who, in 712 CE, led an expedition into Sind and parts of present-day Pakistan under the Umayyad Caliphate. He defeated the local ruler, often identified as Raja Dahir, and brought the region under Arab control. This conquest is widely regarded as the first major Muslim invasion of the Indian subcontinent. Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori came centuries later, and Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a general of Ghori who later established the Delhi Sultanate.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Place the four names in approximate chronological order.Step 2: Muhammad bin Qasim invaded Sind in 712 CE, during the early 8th century.Step 3: Mahmud of Ghazni attacked parts of north-western India mainly in the 11th century.Step 4: Muhammad Ghori waged campaigns in the late 12th century, leading to the foundation of Turkish rule in North India.Step 5: Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Ghori's general, later became the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate at the turn of the 13th century.Step 6: Since 712 CE predates all the others, Muhammad bin Qasim is the first significant Muslim invader to enter India.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard medieval Indian history books clearly state that Muhammad bin Qasim's conquest of Sind in 712 marks the beginning of Muslim political presence in the subcontinent. They then describe the much later Ghaznavid and Ghurid invasions. Exam guides often summarise this in points like “First Muslim invader of India – Muhammad bin Qasim”. This repeated presentation confirms him as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Muhammad Ghori: His campaigns occurred in the late 12th century, long after the Arab conquest of Sind.Mahmud of Ghazni: Also later, mainly in the early 11th century; famous for repeated raids but not the earliest invader.Qutb-ud-din Aibak: A general and later Sultan in the early 13th century, even later than Ghori and Mahmud.

Common Pitfalls:
Because Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori are frequently mentioned in connection with temple raids and the establishment of Turkish rule, students sometimes assume they must be the first Muslim invaders. To avoid this, fix the timeline clearly: 712 – Muhammad bin Qasim in Sind; 11th century – Mahmud of Ghazni; late 12th century – Muhammad Ghori; early 13th century – Qutb-ud-din Aibak as Sultan.

Final Answer:
The first significant Muslim invader to enter India in a historically recorded way was Muhammad bin Qasim.